Smokeshop

SS August 2016

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 36 of 71

August 2016 SMOKESHOP
37
came from Nicaragua and it was a pain
moving the tobaccos to Honduras.
SMOKESHOP: Your father is still
involved in the company isn't he?
PADRÓN: My dad is very involved in
the company now. In fact, right now
he is in the office right next to me
writing a book about his life. He has
been hard at work on that for the last
several months. We don't know when it
will come out, we're working on it but
there is a lot to do. He's got an inter-
esting history and a lot of things have
happened to him over his life. He has a
lot to write about. I think it is going to
be an interesting read.
SMOKESHOP: You are not known as a
company that adds a lot of new cigars every
year, in fact many times you have not added
any new lines at all. Is that by design?
PADRÓN: Yes. It has been many years
for us in the business and we certainly
have not done it in a quick fashion.
We've taken slow and steady steps and
built the company that way. I think it
is almost impossible to do what we did
in today's market. During the boom we
were very respectful of our retailers
and consumers and we have kept doing
business that way. We have created a
loyal customer base based upon mutual
respect for our consumers and retailer.
We have some expensive cigars, but we
also have some very great value cigars
that are competitive products and great
quality and that is sacred. We haven't
touched that. We want to keep those
things in line. If you want spend $30
for a great, great cigar you can do it.
If you want to spend less you can still
get a Padrón, a 2000 or 3000—they
are great cigars. I think it is important
as a company to have a wide array of
products so you can reach consumers
of all types and we've been careful to
maintain that and preserve that over
the years.
SMOKESHOP: Last year you released
something very different, the Dámaso—a
Connecticut wrapped cigar named for your
great grandfather. That was a pretty big
departure for you.
PADRÓN: Absolutely. In our world you
need to have products for every market
and what people are asking for. We felt
there was a segment we were not reach-
ing and we could potentially lose out.
Consumers come into the marketplace
and try a mild cigar. And they work up
to more full-bodied cigars like ours. We
did not have a cigar for an entry point,
we also didn't have any product for
consumers who like to smoke lighter
cigars…a cigar that tastes good but one
that is milder. But we are never about
volume; we are focused on having a
presence. Little by little we will make
our inroads. Almost 60 percent of the
cigars that are sold in the market are
Connecticut or lighter cigars. For us not
to have a presence in that area is not a
good thing. I don't want a customer to
walk into a store…six out of 10 custom-
ers that walk into a store or even five
out of 10 come in and are requesting
a lighter milder cigar, and we don't
have something in that category we are
automatically out in 50 percent of those
transactions. So we needed to have
something in there where people had
an option with the Padrón.
SMOKESHOP: So are you going to add to
the Dámaso this year?
PADRÓN: We will be adding a couple
of new sizes to the Dámaso, but we
are also coming up with a little bit
stronger version. We wanted to make
something a little more medium bod-
ied with a bit different flavor but still
Connecticut.
We also will be adding a size to the
family reserve and of course we'll have
a cigar to mark my dad's 90th birthday.
At this time the blend is almost done so
I can't say exactly what it will be but I
can say it will be a kick-ass cigar!
> Top: Last year, Padrón launched its first new line in over seven years with the release of
Dámaso, which is a milder profile Connecticut-wrapped blend. This year, the company will
add several news sizes as well as a slightly stronger companion blend. Above: This past spring,
Padrón rolled out a new 4 x 56 box press shape, Hermoso, in its 1964 Anniversary Series.